Reading Plan for Expository Thoughts on the Gospels
25 Oct
A new twenty-four hour period for Expository Thoughts
I have been working on a number of developments lately with Expository Thoughts. Be sure to mark our new page here and to read what we've been up to. This site will remain fully searchable but no longer active. Thanks for following united states the past half-dozen years, I'grand excited nigh this new kickoff.
Blessings,
Paul Lamey
30 Sep
Striking Similarities Between 2 Boggling Expositors (Pt. 9)
Preaching That Electrifies
What is the effect of preaching that is thoroughly biblical, administrative, and well-studied? What is the result of expository preaching that is intensely doctrinal, Spirit-empowered, and delivered with a sense of urgency? How has God used the expository preaching of Martyn Lloyd-Jones and John MacArthur?
The Thunder of the Truth
J. I. Packer, then a student in London, has reflected upon what information technology was like to exist under Lloyd-Jones' preaching at Westminster Chapel. Packer writes: "I had never heard such preaching and was electrified" Further, Packer stated: "I accept never heard another preacher with so much of God about him." The effect of such preaching was powerful: "There was in the Doctor'due south preaching thunder and lightning that no tape or transcription always did or could capture…Through the thunder and lightning, I felt and saw as never before the glory of Christ and of His gospel as modern homo'due south but lifeline and learned by experience why historic Protestantism looks on preaching as the supreme means of grace and of communion with God." Such is the power of God in the preaching of His Word.
Reflecting upon Lloyd-Jones'due south biblical preaching, Eric Alexander writes, "Those of us who have had the privilege of hearing him will not easily forget the sense of awe which came upon one's soul as he was gripped past the glory of the gospel and God spoke with such power through him." This is the issue of such preaching, which "left an indelible mark on his hearers."
Compellingly Clear
From untold numbers of people, the aforementioned testimonies tin can be offered apropos the authority of John MacArthur's preaching. The Scripture proclaimed from his pulpit has come up with life-irresolute bear on upon those who have saturday under its forcefulness. Baptismal services on Lord's day evening at Grace Community Church reveal the repeated testimonies of those who accept been converted nether the ability of the Word of God preached. Students at both The Master'southward Seminary and College evidence that the supernaturally empowered force of MacArthur'southward pulpit has fatigued them from across the state or the world to sit at his feet.
"What i hears from MacArthur's pulpit," Old states, "is a very straight Christian message." He "has an amazing power to explain Scripture by Scripture" in such a way that is "richly informative and mightily disarming." Erstwhile adds, "The strength of his preaching is the content," as MacArthur speaks with "consummate clarity." The truth is this, "He recognizes in Scripture the Word of God, and when he preaches, it is Scripture that one hears."
On the occasion of the twenty-5th anniversary of John MacArthur's presidency of The Master'due south Seminary, information technology is simply fitting that nosotros give praise to Christ for this faithful servant. For over 4 decades, this distinguished leader has given himself to the preaching of God's Word at Grace Church. What is more than, he has used his influence in the training of the next generation of biblical expositors, Spirit-empowered preachers who follow in their president'southward footsteps. May MacArthur'due south life and pulpit legacy significantly influence a new generation of dynamic heralds of God's Word. And may in that location come from their midst, the next wave of leading voices in the church.
28 Sep
The Gravity of the Message (Pt. 8)
Similarity No. seven:
The Gravity of the Message
Finally, Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur, every bit they have stood in their pulpits with an open Bible, have been gripped by the weightiness of their bulletin. These are both no non-sense men, marked by sobriety, gravity, and dignity. These men are expositors, not entertainers. Lloyd-Jones was addicted to say that the preacher must exist as Richard Baxter one time stated: "I preached as never certain to preach again and as a dying human to dying men." As they have proclaimed the Word, the weightiness of their bulletin has rested upon them. Such gravitas has made their preaching impactful upon their listeners.
The Weightiness of the Truth
Lloyd-Jones maintained that the preacher must be dominated by what he preaches: "A preacher must ever convey the impression that he himself has been gripped by what he is maxim. If he has not been gripped, nobody else volition be…He must print the people by the fact that he is taken upwardly and captivated by what he is doing. He is total of matter, and he is broken-hearted to impart this." Lloyd-Jones believed that the truth must sober the homo of God: "The preacher must be a serious human; he must never requite the impression that preaching is something light or superficial." Such seriousness was certainly seen in Lloyd-Jones' pulpit demeanor. Lloyd-Jones warns: "A preacher of necessity must give the impression that he is dealing with the most serious affair that men and women can ever consider together." The preacher "should always create and convey the impression of the seriousness of what is happening the moment he even appears in the pulpit." The preacher should reflect a sense of gravity in his countenance, tone, and commitment.
Lloyd-Jones also believed the preacher must never go to the other extreme: "Seriousness does not mean solemnity, does not mean sadness, does non hateful morbidity." The Md stressed that sobriety is never a license to be dour: "The preacher must never be dull, he must never be slow…With the grand theme and message of the Bible, dullness is impossible." Expository preaching must never exist mundane. Rather, he insists: "This is the well-nigh interesting, the most thrilling, the most arresting subject in the universe; and the idea that this can exist presented in a boring way makes me seriously doubt whether the men who are guilty of this dullness have ever really understood the doctrine they claim to believe, and which they advocate."
Bottomline, "I would say that a tedious preacher is a contradiction in terms; if he is dull, he is non a preacher." Simply put, a lackluster preacher is one who has never been gripped by the truth he proclaims. If he remains stoic, it is because the truth has not affected him.
Lloyd-Jones stresses: "A man who is non moved by these things, I maintain, has never really understood them. A man is not an intellect in a vacuum; he is a whole person. He has a heart too as a head; and if his head truly understands, his eye will be moved." Despondent over monotone preaching, Lloyd-Jones agonized: "Where is the passion in preaching that has always characterized great preaching in the past? Why are non modern preachers moved and carried away as the smashing preachers of the past so often were? The Truth has not inverse. Do we believe it, have we been gripped and humbled past it, and then exalted until we are 'lost in wonder love and praise?'" If the preacher is non on burn, the truth will never ignite the people.
A Mandate From God
In the same way, MacArthur embodies a similar gravity in preaching. Describing the passion that must be nowadays in preaching, he urges: "Feel deeply about the truth you are to preach. Retrieve that expositors have a mandate from God to preach the truth and that eternal consequences hang in the residue. This mandate is not easy to obey, nor is it a light load to acquit." No i, after hearing MacArthur, would conclude that he is anything less than blood-hostage in his preaching. He adds: "Taking this charge seriously produces an inner compulsion to reach the pulpit better prepared than when leaving the report." In other words, every preacher must feel the responsibility of his calling weighing heavily upon him. Without this inner sobriety, MacArthur concludes, there is no true preaching.
Tragically, MacArthur warns that many of today's preachers "cater to the tastes of their audience—precisely what Paul warned confronting. They want to government minister to people's 'felt needs.' They are obsessed with being 'relevant.' They recollect too much doctrine, or besides much Scripture, is a turn-off to the 'unchurched' people they want to accomplish." Consequently, he notes: "They allow opinion polls to determine the content of their bulletin. Their greatest fear is offending their hearers. This manner of ministry is often labeled 'seeker-sensitive' or 'convenient,' but Scripture calls it ear-tickling." This kind of lifeless rhetoric, MacArthur contends, lacks the necessary gravity of existent preaching. Such shallowness that marks many contemporary pulpits defies the biblical mandate to proclaim the transcendent truth, "Thus says the Lord!"
To this end, MacArthur sounds this clear warning: "Evangelicals have lost their tolerance for bold, confrontative, biblical preaching. People have demanded to be entertained. Pastors, fearful of 'turning people off,' accept acquiesced to public stance. And at present the church building, on several fronts, is flirting with serious doctrinal error, unable to distinguish truth from falsehood. Having turned aside from the truth, they are susceptible to myths." But to the opposite, MacArthur asserts that the human being of God must be fearless in the pulpit: "The preacher of the Give-and-take must be bold, thorough, unrelenting, persevering in the face of hardship and opposition—and above all, fearless." Sadly, he states, "This kind of sobriety is the polar opposite of the flaky, whimsical, superficial, celebrity-type televangelists who color the public perception of preachers today." Thus, MacArthur earnestly pleads, "The true-blue preacher should be well-rooted and grounded, steadfast, stable—stone-solid." In brusk, if a man is to truly preach, a sobering sense of God must weigh heavily upon him. If at that place is to be biblical exposition, the preacher must get-go exist gripped by the Word of God. Without question, MacArthur has ardently demonstrated this kind of awe-inspiring preaching to an entire generation.
Article written past Dr. Steve Lawson
Used with permission
27 Sep
The Role of the Holy Spirit and Preaching (Pt. seven)
Similarity No. vi:
the SUFFICIENCY of the Spirit
Sixth, Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur accept stressed their utter dependence upon the Holy Spirit in preaching. Their complete reliance involves the Spirit's role in the preacher's study, as well as in the pulpit. The expositor's training in diligent study of the Word is entirely dependent upon the Holy Spirit must enlighten the expositor's understanding of the biblical text and deepen his convictions in it. The same can exist said regarding the Spirit's function in delivering the sermon. There tin can exist no real preaching apart from the supernatural empowering of the Spirit of God.
Spirit-Empowered Preaching
Lloyd-Jones asserted that the Spirit's work in the preacher's delivery is "the greatest essential in connection with preaching." Authoritative preaching, he claimed, "is God giving power, and enabling [him], through the Spirit… [to] do this work in a manner that lifts it up beyond the efforts and endeavors of man." Such preaching is God in the preacher, energizing him to expound the Scripture with supernatural power. He states, "If there is no power, it is not preaching. True preaching, afterwards all, is God acting. Information technology is not simply a man uttering words; information technology is God using him. He is being used of God. He is under the influence of the Holy Spirit." Lloyd-Jones believed this divine element in preaching is the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Recognizing this supernatural dimension, Lloyd-Jones described the Spirit's activity in the preacher: "You are a man 'possessed,' you are taken hold of, and taken up…y'all take a feeling that you are not really doing the preaching…Yous are looking on at yourself in amazement as this is happening. It is not your attempt; you are simply the instrument, the channel, the vehicle: and the Spirit is using y'all, and yous are looking on in great enjoyment and astonishment." By this, Lloyd-Jones affirmed the sovereign work of the tertiary member of the Godhead in preaching, quickening his mind, enflaming his affections, and deepening his convictions.
In the pulpit, Lloyd-Jones acknowledged that the Spirit gives an expansion of thought and depth of profound expression: "Information technology is of the very essence of the act of preaching—this freedom in your ain mind and spirit, this existence free to the influences of the Spirit upon you lot. If we believe in the Holy Spirit at all, nosotros must believe that He is acting powerfully while we are engaged in this most serious and wonderful piece of work." Therefore, he urged that the preacher should earnestly pray that God would "let Him manifest His ability in you and through yous." Lloyd-Jones believed: "Null merely a render of this ability of the Spirit on our preaching is going to avail us anything. This makes truthful preaching." In curt, Lloyd-Jones affirmed that if preaching is to know God's approval, it must know the power of God's Spirit.
In Sit-in of Power
MacArthur, too, emphasizes the preacher's complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit. "Powerful preaching occurs," he writes, "only when a Spirit-illumined man of God expounds clearly and compellingly God's Spirit-inspired revelation in Scripture to a Spirit-illumined congregation." The Holy Spirit, who inspired the biblical text, is the aforementioned Spirit who must enlighten the preacher and the congregation. MacArthur clarifies: "Illumination is the work of the Holy Spirit that opens one'south spiritual eyes to comprehend the significant of the Word of God. It involves the preacher of Scripture and his audience. God's objective and historically past revelation in Scripture cannot be understood accurately apart from the nowadays, personal, and subjective work of the Holy Spirit." Without the Spirit teaching both the preacher and the listener, the Bible remains something of a closed book. Without His empowerment, the preacher will resort to manipulative techniques and fleshly coercions with the listener.
In preaching, MacArthur affirms that the preacher must non depend upon mere rhetoric, but upon the Holy Spirit: "Regardless of the erudition, the compelling logic, the soaring rhetoric, or the clever and interesting communication way, if the truth spoken is not accompanied past the power of God, information technology accomplishes goose egg. But when empowered by God as it enters the prepared soul, the gospel truth saves." To this end, MacArthur stresses that the Spirit must be at piece of work, or preaching is vain: "18-carat soul-transforming power accompanying gospel preaching is the work of the Spirit energizing both the preacher and the hearer." The preacher can deliver the truth to the listener's ear, simply the Holy Spirit must take it to the mind and eye.
Aware of his vulnerability, MacArthur states: "I just pray that my own church would be a place of powerful preaching, and that we would never substitute annihilation for the Spirit-energized preaching of Christ, His cantankerous, and the Word of God." No amount of truth, if delivered without the Spirit's ministry building, can impact those who hear it. Is it whatever wonder that God has called to bless these 2 faithful servants, Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur, as they take relied upon the Holy Spirit in their respective pulpits?
D. Martyn-Lloyd-Jones
22 Sep
Sound Doctrine & the Expository Pulpit (Part vi)
Similarity No. 5:
the Purity of Doctrine
Fifth, Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur have been keenly enlightened they must exposit doctrinal truths. This focus has yielded a depth defective in other expositors. Murray observes there is "a growing departure between the older, [Thou. Campbell] Morgan tradition of exposition and MacArthur's. In his example, equally with Lloyd-Jones, the devotional idea is grounded on the bringing out of articulate doctrinal principles. Exposition needs to lead hearers to doctrinal certainties." Lloyd-Jones
and MacArthur have been committed to preaching biblical and systematic theology from each text.
Theology on Fire
Lloyd-Jones was adamant that true preaching must exist doctrinal preaching: "What is preaching? It is theology on burn down. And a theology which does not take fire, I maintain, is a lacking theology; or at least the man'due south understanding of it is defective. Preaching is theology coming through a human who is on burn." Each sermon, he maintained, must prepare along doctrinal truths. To this point, Lloyd-Jones reiterates: "Preaching must always be theological, always based on a theological foundation…In that location is no type of preaching that should be not-theological." With deep conviction, he states: "You cannot bargain properly with repentance without dealing with the doctrine of man, the doctrine of the Autumn, the doctrine of sin and the wrath of God against sin." In other words, preaching must be aimed at education "doctrinal certainties."
Consequently, Lloyd-Jones believed that potent preaching demands that the preacher have a strategic grasp of systematic theology: "To me at that place is nix more important in a preacher than that he should know it and exist well grounded in information technology. This systematic theology, this body of truth which is derived from the Scripture, should always exist present as a background and as a decision-making influence in his preaching." For Lloyd-Jones, sound doctrine was the very backbone of his preaching. Each passage must exist tested past the analogy of Scripture and show its perfect consistency with the rest of Scripture.
Murray explains that for Lloyd-Jones, preaching expositionally is "not only to give the correct grammatical sense of a verse or passage. It is rather to gear up out the principles or doctrines which the words are intended to convey. True expository preaching is, therefore, doctrinal preaching, it is preaching which addresses specific truths from God to homo." Without teaching the doctrine of a passage, a sermon is devoid of power. Thus, Lloyd-Jones asserted, "The purpose of studying the Scripture is to go far at doctrine." Setting along the doctrine of the passage, he believed, is essential to the sermon.
The Organized religion Once For All Delivered
This same focus upon sound doctrine is found in MacArthur'due south preaching. This noted preacher writes: "The pastor's purpose is not to make Scripture relevant to his people simply to enable them to sympathize doctrine, which becomes the foundation of their spiritual living." No matter what people want, MacArthur states, solid theology must be put forth. He writes: "People's ears may be itching for anything but sound doctrine, but the faithful pastor volition defy the spirit of the age, confront his own fear, and boldly preach the truth anyhow." Appropriately, he states: "In his preaching and teaching, it should be the pastor's sole objective to enlighten his congregation in doctrine that protects and preserves their spiritual health." In other words, right living results from right doctrine.
In MacArthur'due south preaching, Murray notes: "The necessity for doctrinal content—the making articulate of biblical principles—became an increasingly of import part of MacArthur'south preaching." To this end, MacArthur states: "Authentic Christianity is concerned first and foremost with truth. The Christian faith is not primarily nearly feelings although deep feelings volition surely upshot from the impact of truth on our hearts. It is not about human relationships, even though relationships are the chief focus in many of today's evangelical pulpits…Biblical Christianity is all about truth." Consequently, MacArthur stresses that the absolute nature of truth necessitates that every pastor teach sound doctrine. He writes: "An first-class minister is to disseminate sound teaching to all people at all times through all ways. That is the heart and soul of the ministry building."
Regarding current trends, MacArthur notes: "There is much relational preaching today that attempts to make people feel better virtually themselves and about how God might feel nearly them, but there is niggling forceful defense of the full truth. As in most periods of church history, strong and effective defenders of the faith are at a premium." Expositors of sound doctrine is the dire demand in this present hr, he believes, those who uphold the standard of sound words. Such a commitment to preaching "the faith once for all delivered to the saints" galvanizes the pulpit.
Article past Dr. Steve Lawson (used with permission)
22 Sep
THE INTEGRITY OF THE TEXT AND PREACHING (Pt. v)
Fourth, Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur were as committed to serious study in their sermon preparation. Possessing commanding intellects, these two principal expositors feverishly devoted themselves to the diligent study of the Scripture. The depth of their sermon preparation has adamant the latitude of their ministry. Both men have labored to search the Scripture in order to find its essential pregnant, key doctrines, and timeless principles.
Excavation Into the Scripture
As a promising medical student, Lloyd-Jones knew the bailiwick required in rigorous academic study. Following his enervating schooling, he joined the staff of the foremost teaching hospital in the earth, St. Bartholomew's Hospital in London. At that place he became the chief clinical assistant to Sir Thomas Horder, a leading heart doctor and doctor to the royal family. Nether this privileged tutelage, Horder's Socratic arroyo to logic and learning sharpened the intellectual prowess of this future preacher. Horder acclaimed Lloyd-Jones to exist "the most acute thinker that I e'er knew." Once converted and called into ministry, Lloyd-Jones applied his ingenious mind to the study of Scripture.
Equally Lloyd-Jones approached the Bible, it was every bit though he was examining a patient. Of each text, he asked probing questions, synthesized his findings, and determined the proper diagnosis. He said: "Y'all accept to question your text, to put questions to it, and especially this question—What is this proverb? What is the particular doctrine here, the special message? In the grooming of a sermon, nil is more of import than that." In scrutinizing the Scripture, Lloyd-Jones insisted that his analysis must involve studying in the original languages. He stated that the Greek and Hebrew "are of great value for the sake of accuracy; no more, that is all. They cannot guarantee accuracy, but they promote it." Thus, he insisted, linguistic tools demand to be employed in interpreting the Scripture. After digging into the text, Lloyd-Jones then urged the consulting "commentaries or whatsoever aids that you may cull to utilize."
In this pursuit, Lloyd-Jones's entire life was "immersed in Scripture." Using the Robert Murray McCheyne system of daily Scripture reading, he poured over four passages of Scripture each mean solar day, ii in the morning and two at night. Those who knew him best said: "He knew that Bible inside and out!" For Lloyd-Jones, this gave him a thorough knowledge of the whole Bible. Every bit he dug into each text, he looked for the doctrine taught therein. Lloyd-Jones said: "Biblical report is of very little value if it ends in and of itself and is mainly a affair of the meaning of the words. The purpose of studying the Scripture is to arrive at its doctrine." Like a hard-working miner, he explored each passage until he extracted its theological gems, cadre doctrines, and biblical principles. Out of this daily reading and sermon preparation, he was armed with the truth and, in plough, preached the Word.
Rightly Dividing the Word
Difficult study has been equally present in MacArthur's sermon grooming. Iain Murray notes this relentless pursuit in study of the Scripture: "For forty-iv or forty-five Sundays, through forty years, ii new sermons have been prepared every calendar week; in the early years information technology was three, as MacArthur also spoke at the church on Wednesday nights. The pattern of his week has been to give the best of his fourth dimension, from Tuesday to Friday, to training for preaching." This regimented study has been consistent over the lengthy span of more than iv decades. Murray adds: "In early years, this meant some fifteen hours of work for each sermon; and he still requires from eight to ten hours." Week after calendar week, month subsequently month, twelvemonth after twelvemonth, MacArthur has devoted himself to the meticulous study of the biblical text. The deeper he has dug down into the text, the stronger his pulpit has grown.
Regarding his arroyo, MacArthur states: "I ever begin by reading the whole volume. It is imperative for the expositor to be familiar with the overall message and menstruation of the volume before he begins preaching any passages from it." In so doing: "I also read the introductory sections in several good commentaries" in order to "go familiar with the writer of the book, the addresses, the volume's theme or purpose, the date of its writing, and other of import background material." With the individual passage isolated, "I ask myself, "What is the primary message of this passage? What is the key truth? What is the main expositional idea?" Having found the chief point, "I begin to wait for the subordinate points that back up information technology." Afterward, "The side by side step is a detailed analysis of its words and grammar" to find "any issues in the passage, such as an important textual variant, an unusual word, or a hard grammatical construction." And then he will "diagram the passage" to become "aware of the grammatical structure." At last, "I put together a
preliminary outline."
MacArthur contends, "Rightly dividing the Word of truth demands great effort. It was originally written many years ago in very different contexts, today's exegete has to work hard to bridge the gaps of language, culture, geography, and history. He must also practise his best to understand the menstruation of the argument, equally it would accept been understood past its original readers" and "intended by its original human writer." In summary, MacArthur states, "The pregnant of the Scripture is the Scripture. If you do non have the interpretation of the passage right, so yous do not accept the Word of God, considering just the true meaning is the Give-and-take of God." Consequently, MacArthur has shown himself firmly committed to finding the proper interpretation of the biblical text. Until he has it, he realizes, he can proceed no further.
Article by Dr. Steven J. Lawson
Used with Permission.
12 Sep
Reformation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
I recently read Carl Trueman's Reformation: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. This powerful little book offers some dandy insights into various topics including preaching. Here are a few excerpts from Professor Trueman'south book (republished by Christian Focus Publications).
The sermon: God's Method
For those, however, standing in the line of the Reformers, humanity, even in its highest natural spiritual exercises, is in a state of utter rebellion confronting God, and no elaborate string of words, no compelling argument, no passionate speech will e'er bring a unmarried individual to Christ. It is only as those words bring with them the Holy Spirit of God begetting witness to Christ that the sermon becomes adequate to its task. Thus, we preach, we speak the words of God not because this is the marketing method almost likely to appeal to the unbeliever but simply because this is God's appointed means of coming to individuals and bringing them to organized religion. Indeed, precisely considering information technology is so weak and hopeless past the globe'due south standards, it brings that much more glory to God when souls are saved and lives turned round through this medium.
Of course we must use language with which the congregation is familiar; of course we must be aware that nosotros are talking to people in the 20-first century and not the sixteenth; and of course nosotros must be culturally sensitive in what nosotros say; simply preach we must because this is God'south chosen ways of spreading the news of the kingdom. Preaching is not just a advice technique, and must never be considered equally such; it is bringing the very words of God to bear upon the life and needs of sinners and of the congregations of God's people. For this reason, if for no other, the sermon must remain central in our worship…..
When preaching fails
Furthermore, it is surely no coincidence that the marginalizing of the sermon is evangelical life has led non so much to a plummet in zeal for the gospel – for there are many, peculiarly young people, who come from churches where preaching is non central still take an enviable zeal – only has led to a dramatic decline among the laity in knowledge of exactly what that gospel is. Working with evangelical students, it never ceases to astound me how piddling some of them know. Yeah, they love Christ and trust him for forgiveness; simply ask them why they have confidence that he forgives them or what the cantankerous achieved, and i is often confronted with a answer which speaks about some nebulous experience or feeling which they have rather than a reference to the cross or to covenant promises.
The reason for this lack is nearly always their church background: fellowships where not bad emphasis may well exist placed upon a vital and vibrant Christian life simply where preaching is at a discount. The consequence is that their minds are empty of slap-up Christian truths and their faith has less than fully stable foundations, being built on pious experiences rather than a well-thought-out biblical and doctrinal worldview rooted in the identity of God himself every bit found in his revelation. We need to know that nosotros tin be confident that God is true-blue because of what he has washed throughout history, not because nosotros ourselves had some experience at some point in fourth dimension; and how are we to know this unless somebody tells united states?
The preacher's responsibility
The first thing that a preacher needs to realize, therefore, is the seriousness of the job he is undertaking: on his shoulders rests the responsibility of giving his people solid rock on which to build their lives; and in preaching, he is moving the divine Discussion of God from the divinely inspired text through the words of his sermon to the hearts and minds of his people. He is thus handling, so to speak, the Word of God, something which is both an immense privilege and an awesome responsibleness.
He must therefore take care that he gets it right and that his attitude towards the task is 1 appropriate to its gravity. Equally Richard Baxter declared, 'I preached as a dying man to dying men.' The pulpit was thus no place for clowning or levity or entertaining his congregation; every Sunday information technology was a place where, perhaps for the last time, he had an opportunity of speaking to men and women about the great things of God. We, of course, live in age where entertainment is one of the be-all-and-end-alls of life; but Christianity is always to an extent counter-cultural, and this is i point on which we cannot afford to be annihilation else.
The preaching ministry is thus something which should not be entered into lightly; nor is the sermon something which either minister or congregation should approach in a light or piffling style. The preacher has the responsibility of both expounding God's truth and of doing so in a manner which confronts his congregation with the awesomeness of God'south greatness and holiness and the vastness of his grace and love.
It takes, therefore, a particular kind of human being with a particular calling to perform this job.
8 Sep
Jack of all trades, principal of none
He's the "Jack of all trades, master of none." I am referring of course to the role of Senior Pastor. As the 'leader among leaders' I am responsible for providing overall oversight to all the ministries that make upward the First Baptist Church of Freeport. That does not mean however that my hand is equally deep in every pot. I certainly comprehend the plural leadership model simply now I digress.
I am going on year four equally the atomic number 82 pastor/elder at FBC, Freeport. My main task is to "feed Jesus' sheep" (John 21:17). To "devote myself to prayer, and to the ministry of the Discussion" (Acts 6:four). To "preach the Word, in season and out of flavour" (2 Tim 4:2). I am also responsible to shepherd the flock of God (one Peter 5:1-four) with my fellow undershepherds; and to provide pastoral oversight (one Thessalonians 5:12, Hebrews 13:17, 1 Timothy 5:17).
When I graduated from seminary I sort of idea that I would finally exist able to read what I wanted to read rather than simply digest what my professors asked me/united states of america to take in. That assumption is partially right. For case I am currently reading Rick Holland's, Uneclipsing the Son, Earl Blackburn's, Jesus Loves the Church and So Should You lot, Douglas Bond'south, The Mighty Weakness of John Knox, and Carl Trueman's, Reformation; Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow for my soul'southward sake. Those books or authors peaked my interest and so upon purchasing them I evidentially got effectually to reading them.
This might surprise you but most ordinary pastors are not seminary professors. Very few of u.s.a. are subject matter experts on anything. I love to study church history just I am certainly no Iain Murray or Nate Busenitz. I dearest systematic theology but I am no Ph D. I bask studying the original languages but I am nearly definitely not a Bill Barrick, a Beak Mounce, or an Abner Chou.
Function of this comes back to my opening judgement. We local church pastors are the "Jack of all trades, master of none." For example, over the past few years I accept read Singing and Making Music, Worship Matters, Why Johnny Can't Sing Hymns, and parts of Christ-Centered Worship. Why? If I am going to provide helpful biblical oversight to a local church ministry in demand of some TLC and then I need to educate myself accordingly.
The same matter is true with my expository pulpit ministry. I am currently preaching through Colossians 3:17-4:1 (the Lordship of Christ in Relationships). When I finished my exegesis of verses eighteen-xix I then turned my attending to commentaries and to helpful books on spousal relationship. That meant over the past few weeks I've read or reread Feminine Appeal, Biblical Womanhood in the Home, and parts of Radical Womanhood and the Exemplary Husband.
I am besides involved each twelvemonth in a leadership grooming and development ministry at our church. This particular ministry is exclusively geared towards our men (leaders and futurity leaders, per 2 Timothy 2:2). Guess what? That ways that I need to reread the books that Pastor Steve and I are asking our guys to read. So I am enjoying (again) books like When Adept Kids Make Bad Choices, The Primary's Programme for the Church, Finish Dating the Church, Blame it on the Brain, He Is Non Silent, The New Testament Deacon, Grudem'southward Systematic Theology etc, etc.
As the Senior Pastor I am also involved in various counseling relationships. This means my wife and I may be enjoying for the 8th time the wonderful educational activity of The Fantabulous Wife or the Exemplary Husband . Or I may be reading with a counselee At the Altar of Sexual Idolatry or Shepherding a Kid'south Center.
At the end of the day what I thought six years agone when I graduated from seminary was only partially true. I not only get to read what I want to read but I as well read and study what I need to read and report. That is one of the reasons why most of us pastors are indeed "the Jack of all trades, masters of none."
7 Sep
Verse past Verse Preaching (pt iv)
Similarity No. three:
The Continuity of Exposition
If preaching is to be primary, it demands a certain kind of preaching, specially, biblical preaching. To this terminate, Lloyd-Jones and MacArthur take been known for their expository pulpits, a primal approach that involves long series through entire books in the Bible. Whether preaching verse-by-verse through whole books, or through sections inside books, both men accept used the lectio continua approach, meaning "continuous expositions." This comprehensive modus operandi has served a balanced nutrition to their well-balanced congregations.
New Life Into a Classic Form
Amid many barren pulpits, Lloyd-Jones so gave himself to sequential expository preaching that, Old insists, he was "breathing new life into a very archetype class." Lloyd-Jones was able to "recover and popularize" expository preaching "throughout the English language-speaking earth." He accomplished this resurgence at a fourth dimension when "classic expository preaching…had all but died out." Resisting this trend, Lloyd-Jones insisted: "The bulletin should ever arise out of the Scriptures directly." In other words, the sermon must start and stay with the Scripture, saying explicitly what the text says. But more than that, Lloyd-Jones asserted: "Information technology should be clear to people that what we are saying is something that comes out of the Bible. Nosotros are presenting the Bible and its bulletin. That is the origin of our message." In brusk, he maintained that true preaching "must e'er be expository."
Past this approach, Lloyd-Jones delivered over 4000 sermons from his Westminster pulpit, preaching twice on Sundays, one time in the morning time and once in the evening, and on Friday evenings (September to May). Further, he conducted regular journeys throughout the English language countryside, preaching at least two to iii times during the week, including numerous pastors' conferences.
Lloyd-Jones's Sunday morning sermons were intentionally directed towards Christians. From his Westminster pulpit, he preached through: 1 Peter (twenty-v sermons, 1943-1944), 2 Peter (20-five sermons, 1946-1947), Philippians (thirty-seven sermons, 1947-1948), i John (threescore-vii sermons, 1948-1950), and Habakkuk (six sermons, 1950). The most famous Sun morning time series by Lloyd-Jones was the Sermon on the Mount, a thorough handling of Matthew 5-7 (60 sermons, 1950-1952).
Other Sunday morning series included an exposition of John 17 (xiii sermons, 1952-1953), Psalm 73, (eleven sermons, 1953), Spiritual Depression from Psalm 42 (twenty-one sermons, 1954), Revival (twenty-vi sermons, 1959), Ephesians (260 sermons, 1954-1962), Colossians 1 (14 sermons, 1962) and the Gospel of John chapters 1-4 (1962-1968).
In the Sunday evening letters, Lloyd-Jones was purposefully evangelistic, preaching through: Isaiah 35 (six sermons, 1946), Isaiah 40 (nine sermons, 1954), Psalm 107 (7 sermons, 1955), Authority (three sermons, 1957), Galatians 6:14 on the Cross (nine sermons, 1963), Psalm 1 (four sermons, 1963), Isaiah 1 (ix sermons, 1963), Isaiah 5 (seven sermons, 1964), Joy Unspeakable (xx-four sermons, 1964-1965), and Acts 1-8 (110 sermons, 1965-1968). In addition, Lloyd-Jones started a Friday night Bible study, early in his Westminster ministry building, focused primarily upon Christians, an on-going series which became enormously popular. His kickoff Friday dark series was on Bully Doctrines of the Bible (eighty-one sermons, 1952-1955). Far from being dry out lectures, these letters were delivered with all the elements of dynamic preaching. This serial was followed by his magisterial exposition of the book of Romans (372 sermons, 1957-1968), culminating in Romans fourteen:17, when he retired from the Westminster pulpit.
The Only Legitimate Way to Preach
Like Lloyd-Jones, MacArthur made the same commitment to expository preaching. He writes: "Preaching and teaching must be expositional, setting along equally clearly, systematically, and completely as possible the truths of God's Give-and-take and merely those truths." MacArthur emphatically asserts: "It is for that reason that expository preaching—preaching that systematically and thoroughly explains the meaning of Scripture—is the simply legitimate way to preach." Consequently, he states that the bulletin must never originate with himself: "The preacher's responsibility is not to create messages from his own wisdom or cleverness or to dispense or sway his listeners by means of his ain persuasiveness of charisma merely to translate, explicate, and apply God'south Discussion as conspicuously and completely as possible." This is the genius of MacArthur'due south preaching. Starting at the starting time verse of chapter one and moving consecutively through the entire book, he simply reads, explains, and applies God's Word. MacArthur is a mouthpiece for the biblical text.
In all, MacArthur has delivered some 3,000 expositions at Grace Customs Church. For over forty years, he has stood in 1 pulpit and faithfully expounded the Scripture, Sunday past Sunday. On Sunday mornings, MacArthur has preached, poesy by poesy, through: Romans (1969), the Gospel of John (70-viii sermons, 1970-1972), Acts (103 sermons, 1972-1975), 1 Corinthians (fourscore-one sermons, 1975-1977), Ephesians (lx sermons, 1978-1979), the Gospel of Matthew (226 sermons, 1978-1985), 1 Timothy (50 sermons, 1985-1987), two Timothy (twenty-seven sermons, 1987-1988), Philippians (twoscore-vi sermons, 1988-1989), 1 Thessalonians (30-six sermons, 1990-1991), Philemon (4 sermons, 1991), 2 Thessalonians (seventeen sermons, 1992), Titus (twenty-four sermons, 1992-1993), 2 Corinthians (90-six sermons, 1993-1998), the Gospel of Luke (298 sermons, 1998-2008), the Gospel of Marker (2009-2011).
On Sunday evenings, MacArthur has likewise expounded: Habakkuk (three sermons, 1969), 1 and 2 Peter (1969), Hebrews (twoscore-three sermons, 1972-1973), Galatians (twenty-iv sermons, 1973-1974), Colossians (twenty-three sermons, 1976), Zechariah (nineteen sermons, 1977), Daniel (thirty-one sermons, 1979-1980), Romans (124 sermons, 1981-1986), James (30-four sermons, 1986-1987), 1 Peter (fifty sermons, 1988-1990), 2 Peter (twenty-7 sermons, 1990-1991), Revelation (eighty-seven sermons, 1991-1995), Genesis ane-11 (40-nine sermons, 1999-2001), i John (forty-two sermons, 2002-2003), 2 John (four sermons, 2003), 3 John (ii sermons, 2003), Jude (15 sermons, 2004).
In addition, MacArthur has too preached the following topical expository serial: The Superiority of Christ (seven sermons, 1972), The Second Coming of Jesus Christ (twenty-3 sermons, 1973), Is the Bible Reliable? (twelve sermons, 1974), God, Satan, and Angels (ix sermons, 1975), The Charismatic Movement (twelve sermons, 1977), Spiritual Bootcamp (four sermons, 1978), True Worship (eight sermons, 1982), The Anatomy of a Church (eight sermons, 1983), Heaven (eight sermons, 1987), Spiritual Growth (iv sermons, 1988), Seven Steps to Spiritual Stability (half dozen sermons, 1989), Whatever Happened to the Holy Spirit? (six sermons, 1989), The Dearest of God (six sermons, 1994-1995), The Fulfilled Family (eleven sermons, 1996), A Biblical Perspective on the Centre East and Terrorism (four sermons, 2001), The Doctrines of Grace (ten sermons, 2004), Spiritual Terrorism (ten sermons, 2004), Making a Case for the Bible (five sermons, 2006), Why Every Calvinist Should be a Premillennialist (six sermons, 2007), The Kind Of Worship God Desires (five sermons, 2008), Romans chapters 3, 4 and v (ten sermons, 2009), Hebrews eleven (twelve sermons, 2009-2010), 1 Corinthians 13 (four sermons, 2010), i Corinthians 15 (six sermons, 2010).
Journal Article written by Dr. Steven Lawson (used with permission).
TO Exist Connected
2 Sep
The Primacy of the Pulpit (pt 3)
Similarity No. 2: The Primacy of the Pulpit
Flowing out of their common recognition of biblical authority is a 2nd striking similarity, namely, their strict delivery to the primacy of biblical preaching. Though both men have faced demands on many fronts, they, notwithstanding, are, first and foremost, preachers of the Discussion. In their ministries, the public exposition of Scripture occupied the cardinal identify. For both men, the pulpit was the principle ways by which they exerted their greatest influence.
Loftier Calling to a Sacred Task
By all accounts, the Westminster pulpit was primal to every aspect of the spiritual life of the church. Accordingly, Lloyd-Jones maintained that preaching is the loftiest job to which anyone could commit himself. He writes, "The work of preaching is the highest and the greatest and the well-nigh glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called." What is more, Lloyd-Jones insists: "The well-nigh urgent need in the Christian church building today is truthful preaching; and as information technology is the greatest and the most urgent need in the church building, it is obviously the greatest need of the world likewise." Nothing, he maintained, must ever supercede the primacy of the pulpit in the church.
Lloyd-Jones came to this confidence early equally a brilliant young physician. He came to the sobering realization that he was but assisting the physical healing of people who would return to godless living and suffer eternal destruction. He lamented, "We spend almost of our time rendering people fit to go dorsum to their sin." Of his patients, he realized: "A human being with a good for you torso and a diseased soul is all correct for 60 years or so and then he has to confront an eternity of hell." In one case converted, Lloyd-Jones came to see that just the Word of God tin can bring about what ultimately matters, the healing of eternal souls. With this confidence, he was being drawn to the ministry of preaching: "The primary chore of the Church and of the Christian government minister is the preaching of the Word of God." Everything in the church, he believed, should be shaped and influenced by the pulpit.
Substantiating this claim, Lloyd-Jones pointed to the earthly ministries of Jesus Christ: "In the life and ministry of our Lord Himself, you accept this articulate indication of the primacy of preaching and of pedagogy." In addition, he understood that Christ assigned this aforementioned priority to His apostles. When these men were "filled with the Holy Spirit on the Twenty-four hours of Pentecost," he notes, they immediately "began to preach." Equally other needs arose in the early church building, Lloyd-Jones paraphrased Peter's assertion, stating: "Nosotros are here to preach this Word, this is the first thing, 'We will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Give-and-take.'" By this statement, he maintained that preaching, empowered by prayer, is job number one in the church. He states that these "priorities are laid downward once and forever…and we must non allow anything to deflect us from this." No other ministry building or church activity must ever supplant the primacy of the pulpit.
In Season and Out of Flavor
Standing shoulder to shoulder with Lloyd-Jones, MacArthur has voiced this same confidence: "The church'south most important office is to proclaim the Word of God in an understandable, direct, and authoritative mode." Assigning the pulpit this proper place, MacArthur declares: "Preaching the Word must be the very middle of our ministry building philosophy." Resisting present day trends, he emphatically states: "In corporate worship, the preaching of the Word should have kickoff place." Therefore, MacArthur maintains: "Preaching is an irreplaceable attribute of all corporate worship. In fact, the whole church service should revolve around the ministry of the Word. Everything else is either preparatory to, or a response to, the exposition of Scripture." At Grace Church, the centrality of the Discussion preached is an irrefutable core value.
MacArthur is indefatigable in this fundamental delivery: "Preaching is the non-negotiable eye of the church's ministry. This fact does not alter considering public opinion changes." MacArthur states that this biblically-assigned priority in non-negotiable: "Some people today debate that the church could draw more 'unchurched' people past featuring drama and music instead of preaching. But Paul's instructions to Timothy were clear. He was to preach the Word whether preaching was popular or not—'in season and out of season.'" Thus, MacArthur sounds this clarion warning: "A 'church' where the Word of God is not regularly and faithfully preached is no truthful church." Only where the Scripture is rightly expounded, he believes, does a true church meet.
Unswayed past contemporary trends, MacArthur states, "Many things have come along to try and supplant preaching. And unfortunately, almost people just let it appen. If you open your paper and look at the church page, instead of reading about men preaching the Word of God, y'all read about musical phantasmagorias, movies, and all sorts of other things going on." He staunchly insists, "They must never supersede the preaching of the Word. A holy man, who is gifted to preach past the Spirit of God and prepared in the Discussion of God, has no equal in a power presentation of the truth. That is the pattern of Scripture." Such a key commitment to preaching lies at the heart of every great preacher. Bottomline, MacArthur concludes: "Preaching is to exist the priority."
Periodical Commodity written by Dr. Steven Lawson (used with permission).
TO BE Continued
Source: https://expositorythoughts.wordpress.com/
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